Ulquiorra Cifer
Introduction Ulquiorra Cifer is the Cuatro (4th) Espada in Aizen's army of Arrancar. Personality Ulquiorra is a very cold, callous, and dispassionate figure, and is rather aloof, brooding, and indifferent, willing to harm both his comrades and enemies should they get in his way. He refers to anyone he does not find interesting as "trash", and treats them as expendable. Despite this, like most of the other top Espada, he is not particularly violent, and will only fight when provoked or ordered to by Aizen. As stated by Grimmjow, Ulquiorra demonstrates a strange habit when killing victims he is particularly interested in; he stabs them with his bare hand in the same location as his Hollow hole. Whether he is consciously aware of this habit or not is unknown. During a speech to Orihime, he claims he does not believe in Human emotions, which he refers to as the "heart," reasoning that if his eye cannot see them, they do not exist. These words, and much of Ulquiorra's overall behavior, reflect the concepts of materialism, which connects to his aspect of death as an Espada, Emptiness. In the last seconds of his life, he seems to finally find his own "heart", and understands feelings. His cold demeanor allows him to stay completely calm and in control in most situations, and he is not easily surprised or caught off-guard. However, he does not seem to comprehend the Human trait of fighting against all odds or the concept of the Human heart; during his final battle with Ichigo, he completely overwhelms the Shinigami after releasing his Zanpakutō, yet Ichigo continues to fight on regardless of this. Because of this, he, shouting at Ichigo out of frustration, tells him "to continue fighting is pointless." He transforms into his Segunda Etapa form in an attempt to show Ichigo "true despair". He seems to contradict himself, telling Ichigo that although it is natural for Humans to mimic Hollows to become stronger, they will never be the equal of Hollows, though the Arrancar are doing much of the same by mimicking Shinigami. Ulquiorra is highly perceptive, cunning, and analytical. During his and Yammy's first visit to the Human World, he makes several surprisingly accurate comments on the Humans who confronted them. He theorizes Orihime Inoue's healing power is a temporal-spatial ability, which Aizen later describes as the rejection of fate, and comments on how Ichigo Kurosaki's Bankai can easily cut through Yammy's defenses. He notes how Ichigo's power fluctuates, varying between very weak and stronger than his own. Ulquiorra is very demanding, coming to Orihime's chamber and ordering her to eat a meal an Arrancar servant brought in, claiming that, for Aizen's benefit, it was her "duty" to stay alive. When Orihime hesitates, he threatens to force the food down her throat or strap her to a table and feed her via an IV. This implies that, while he prefers not to dirty his hands, Ulquiorra is fully capable of committing truly abhorrent and inhumane actions without feeling any shred of remorse or hesitation. Despite his demanding nature, Ulquiorra is not vain like most of his fellow Espada. He maintains a cautious and cool demeanor, being always in control of his actions. He holds himself with decent dignity and finds Nnoitra's taunts about 'punishing' Orihime repulsive and vulgar. As he usually not the talkative one, Ulquiorra spares his words and only speaks when necessary or for those he finds worthy of them. He is emotionally detached from all materialistic things but shows a stubborn reluctance to admit the existence of anything immaterial. After Ichigo's Hollow form overwhelms and strikes him down during his last battle, Ulquiorra, maintaining his composure, calmly berates himself for being defeated by a "Human-turned-Hollow." Believing he no longer has a purpose in life since he was quickly defeated by his opponent, he, demanding Ichigo kill him, compliments Ichigo when he decides to use a point-blank Cero to kill him, claiming the lack of mercy is "rather Hollow-like." This is a marked departure from most of his fellow Arrancar, who died cursing their enemies or with an abject fear of death. History (Bleach Manga ) As a Vasto Lorde Hollow, Ulquiorra felt alone in the world, being white while those around him were black. He wandered Hueco Mundo alone, lamenting his existence, until one day he came across a white tree with many sharp spines. Ulquiorra, finding it satisfying due to its emptiness, sank into it, destroying part of his mask, finally at peace. An unspecified amount of time later, he was recruited by Aizen into the Espada. Ulquiorra arrives in Karakura Town to gather information on Ichigo Kurosaki. When Yammy Llargo states he is unenthusiastic to be there, Ulquiorra says he cannot complain, as he asked to come along. After Yammy absorbs the souls of the nearby Humans with Gonzui and comments on their bad taste, Ulquiorra asks him why he expected such weak souls to taste good before noting that no one was staring at Yammy like the large Arrancar thought. Ulquiorra mentions they have only come to kill one being, and the others can be left alone. When Yammy admits such a task will be hard, Ulquiorra reveals there are currently only three beings of note with any spiritual strength before being confronted by Yasutora Sado and Orihime Inoue, the former of whom he declares to be "trash" as he allows Yammy to grievously injure him. Ulquiorra watches as Yammy is prevented from attacking Orihime by her Santen Kesshun and, upon seeing Orihime using her Sōten Kisshun on Sado, deduces that it is not healing, but something like time reversal, which he has never seen before. When Yammy stops Orihime's subsequent attack, Ulquiorra tells him to simply kill her, but he is quickly stopped by the timely arrival of Ichigo. Yammy asks if he is their target, which Ulquiorra confirms before stating Yammy's lack of subtlety caused Ichigo to notice them. When Ichigo cuts off Yammy's arm, Ulquiorra expresses mild surprise. As he watches Ichigo and Yammy fight, he notes Yammy charges into battle rather than read his opponents as he taught the large Arrancar. He is surprised Ichigo can cut through Hierro so easily, and that Ichigo's Reiatsu is so solid despite having only recently gained Bankai. However, he reasons that at his current level, Ichigo is no threat to Aizen. After Ichigo soundly beats Yammy, Ulquiorra notes the latter is struggling and asks if he wants to switch, but Yammy tells him to shut up and proceeds to take out his Zanpakutō, causing Ulquiorra to question whether it is actually necessary to use it against Ichigo. Ulquiorra watches as Yammy attacks a distracted Ichigo until the latter is saved by the arrival of Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin. After Yammy, effortlessly beaten by Yoruichi, begins to battle Urahara, Ulquiorra steps in to deflect a blast away from Yammy. He strikes Yammy in the stomach with his hand, scolding him for being so reckless, and asks if he knew just who the two he faced are. He states that at Yammy's current level, he will not win, no matter how much he tries. Ulquiorra, opening a Garganta, tells Yammy it is time for them to retreat. When Yoruichi asks if they are running away, Ulquiorra, telling her she is foolish to make such a taunt, notes that if the two of them tried to fight him while protecting the others, it is obvious who would emerge the winner. Ulquiorra, stating his mission is over, says he will tell Aizen the 'fake' Soul Reaper he is interested in is nothing more than a piece of trash. Shortly after leaving, Ulquiorra and Yammy, arriving back in Hueco Mundo, are greeted by Sōsuke Aizen and an assembly of Arrancar in order to share their findings from the mission to the Human World. Ulquiorra, using his Solita Vista ability, asks that they all look carefully as it swirls around them, replaying the events of his mission. As Aizen sees for himself, he understands why Ulquiorra chose not to kill Ichigo. As Ulquiorra begins to explain his reasoning, he is interrupted by Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, who questions his choice to allow Ichigo and his friends to live as, regardless of their threat level, they are their enemies. Grimmjow begins to taunt Yammy, but Ulquiorra, stepping in, ends the building altercation. He explains that the problem is not Ichigo, as what Aizen is observing is not Ichigo in his current state, but his growth rate. Although it is true his growth rate is quite high, it is disproportionately unstable because it is so immense. He states if they were to just leave him alone, he would eventually destroy himself or become one of their pawns. Grimmjow finds the argument pointless, as Ulquiorra could be wrong and he might get powerful enough to get in their way, but Ulquiorra brushes it aside, stating if it comes to that, he would finish him off himself. Despite the argument, Aizen congratulates Ulquiorra on his work in completing the mission. A month later, Ulquiorra arrives just as Yammy's arm is being reattached by Roka Paramia. He states it was a good idea to bring Yammy's severed arm back, though the other Arrancar complains that it will rot, as it will take far too long to heal. Yammy states it would be nice if their bodies healed on their own like Ulquiorra's eyeballs do. Ulquiorra states he should just be happy they could reattach it, for if his arm was completely destroyed like Grimmjow's was, he would have been kicked out of the Espada as well. Yammy agrees, and after his arm is fixed, they depart, Ulquiorra telling him Aizen has summoned them. They, showing up just in time, join several other Espada at the creation of an Arrancar. When Ulquiorra asks Aizen what the status of the Hōgyoku is, Aizen states it is on schedule as far as Soul Society is concerned. He explains how he is capable of using it at full power, resulting in the creation of Wonderweiss Margela. When Aizen asks Ulquiorra if he remembers the directive he gave him, Ulquiorra states he does. Aizen, giving him the choice to bring anyone he wants, insists Grimmjow go. Ulquiorra sends Yammy, Wonderweiss, Luppi, and Grimmjow to Karakura Town to act as a distraction to the Soul Reaper while he goes to capture Orihime. Ulquiorra, ambushing Orihime and her two guards, startles her as he asks why Soul Society would only send two guards. Though he states only two guards are not to his liking, he notes the disabling of the Kōryū is rather convenient for him, as he claims it is not his style to rush a conversation. After Ulquiorra takes out the two guards with Bala blasts, Orihime tries to heal them. Ulquiorra, amazed at the level of her power, tells her to come with him and not to speak, as her answer will have to be yes, for if she says anything else, he will kill her. He shows her friends engaged in their own fights elsewhere. Ulquiorra explains she is not to speak or ask questions, as she has no rights; they are not negotiating, and it is entirely up to her if her friends die. He reveals Aizen desires her power, and he is under orders to bring her back unharmed. Later, Ulquiorra, arriving just in time to stop Grimmjow from releasing his Zanpakutō, states their mission is accomplished, and multiple Garganta open up to take the Arrancar present back via Negación. As they leave, Ulquiorra notes that within Ichigo's Reiatsu there are traces of a new power he has acquired, but is unsure as to what extent. By threatening her friends' lives, he convinces Orihime to come peacefully, allowing her to say goodbye to one person beforehand. This makes it appear as if she betrayed her friends of her own free will. Upon arriving in Hueco Mundo, Ulquiorra brings Orihime to Las Noches for an audience with Aizen. He has her display her powers to all Espada assembled by "regenerating" Grimmjow's arm, much to the disbelief of Luppi, and confirms this is the power he spoke of upon his first excursion into the Human World. Ulquiorra is present when Aizen tells the Espada of the intruders. Afterward, Aizen warns the Espada to treat the intruders with caution, as just four of them went into Soul Society and faced the Gotei 13. When Zommari Rureaux notes he is missing one, as there are currently only three intruders, Ulquiorra mentions they are missing Orihime. He sits silently as the other Espada argue until Grimmjow interrupts them by attempting to walk out against Aizen's orders. He, alongside the other Espada, watches as Aizen subdues Grimmjow with his Reiatsu to keep him in line. Shortly after, Ulquiorra, arriving in Orihime's chambers, informs her that her friends have infiltrated Hueco Mundo. When she asks why, Ulquiorra explains they have come to rescue her, which is the only reason they need. He states that for her such a thing should have no more meaning, because, in both mind and body, she is their comrade. Her wearing the same clothes as the Arrancar signifies that concept. He forces her to acknowledge her mind and body exist for Aizen's will. As Ulquiorra leaves Orihime, he acknowledges she is a girl of strong spirit. His thoughts are interrupted by Nnoitra Gilga, who asks how he is handling her, explaining he knew Aizen entrusted her care to Ulquiorra. Nnoitra asks how far along he has gotten in "taming" her, but Ulquiorra, ignoring him, walks away, calling him degenerate scum. Undeterred, Nnoitra, using Sonído to move in front of him, asks Ulquiorra to not get so testy, as he is only asking if everything is going well. Ulquiorra cannot comprehend why Nnoitra really cares about something so trivial, but tells him not to worry, as Orihime has been under Aizen's spell even before she arrived in Hueco Mundo. When Nnoitra asks if Aizen used Kyōka Suigetsu as usual, Ulquiorra assures him the situation was not big enough of an issue to warrant its use. He reveals that the moment she was invited there, multiple psychological cages were put in place. She could not say no, as her friends were in danger, and she had 12 hours to say goodbye to only one friend. Nnoitra does not understand, so Ulquiorra further explains she is set to believe they are not the enemy, and therefore she will follow them of her own free will. He makes note that, by allowing her to say goodbye to a friend of her own choosing, it is as though she is a traitor, coming to them of her own free will. Finally understanding, Nnoitra states the plan was well thought out and he would expect nothing less of Aizen, but Ulquiorra, correcting him, states such things are nothing more than a game to Aizen, as no matter what, she cannot escape. Afterward, Ulquiorra arrives as Aizen presents the Hōgyoku to Orihime. Later, Ulquiorra arrives to confront Ichigo Kurosaki as he and Nel make their way through Las Noches. Ulquiorra, taunting Ichigo, states Rukia Kuchiki has died. Unsure of this, Ichigo tries to leave. When Ulquiorra asks if Ichigo can really leave without killing him, Ichigo says he has no reason to do so. Ulquiorra is perplexed before Ichigo explains Ulquiorra has not harmed any of his friends. Ulquiorra asks Ichigo what he would do if he knew he was the one that kidnapped Orihime. Ichigo, realizing Orihime did not leave of her own free will, attacks Ulquiorra, who finds it odd her friends came while they had doubts. Scolding Ulquiorra for causing Orihime to be branded as a traitor, he releases his Bankai, knowing he must go all out. Ulquiorra is unimpressed, but is shocked to see Ichigo wearing a Hollow mask. Ichigo fires an enhanced Getsuga Tenshō at the Espada. As Ulquiorra blocks the attack with his forearm, Ichigo manages to send him flying through some pillars. As he gathers himself to launch an attack of his own, Ichigo attacks and Ulquiorra, stopping it with his bare hands, is pushed back a good distance. Assuming he has won, Ichigo goes to leave with Nel, only to find Ulquiorra is barely injured. Ulquiorra, disappointed that Ichigo believed he would not be able to stop the blast with both hands, asks Ichigo if that was all of his power. When Ichigo does not respond, Ulquiorra, figuring it is, fires a Cero at Ichigo, sending him flying. As Ichigo tries to see if Nel is alright, Ulquiorra kicks him further. When Ichigo summons his mask to take the blunt of his Cero, Ulquiorra is impressed by his reaction time. Realizing Ichigo will be unable to use his mask, he asks him to surrender. Refusing, Ichigo stabs Ulquiorra in the shoulder, reasoning that because Ulquiorra is the main Espada, after he finishes him off, everyone else will be simple clean-up. Ulquiorra looks at him before, tearing his coat, revealing he is merely Espada number 4. When Ichigo, stunned, asks him if he is really only number 4, Ulquiorra states he is the Cuatro Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer. Impaling Ichigo through the chest with his bare hand, he tells him he cannot defeat him, and even if he did, there are three more Espada above him. He concludes there can never be any victory for either him or his friends. As Ichigo lies fatally wounded, Ulquiorra expresses disappointment that he overestimated Ichigo's abilities, as he failed to meet his expectations. He leaves Ichigo, suggesting he retreat if able to, and if not, die; either way, his journey has ended. Returning to Orihime's room in Las Noches, he questions Loly Aivirrne and Menoly Mallia about what took place there, as Orihime is gone and the room is trashed. After discovering Grimmjow has taken Orihime, Ulquiorra tracks them down with ease. Ulquiorra immediately questions what Grimmjow is doing, going out of his way to heal an enemy he has defeated. When it becomes clear he will get no answer, Ulquiorra, stating Aizen has placed Orihime in his care, tells Grimmjow to hand her over. Grimmjow, refusing, attacks, but Ulquiorra easily blocks. Grimmjow, taunting him, fires a Cero, which Ulquiorra blocks. Ulquiorra, appearing above Grimmjow, fires a point blank Cero, which Grimmjow counters with his own, sending both Espada flying. Ulquiorra, emerging from the rubble unscathed, is grabbed from behind by Grimmjow, who throws a portable Caja Negación field into Ulquiorra's Hollow hole, temporarily trapping him in another dimension. Five World War: Prologue Relationships Yammy Llargo Ulquiorra doesn't mind Yammy to much. Letting him following him around and being his partner. Even if Yammy is an giant brute idiot, Ulquiorra seem to get along with him still. Powers and Abilities As one of the top ranked Espada, Ulquiorra is an extremely powerful Arrancar. In his previous life he was able to defeat Act Of Order Ichigo Kurosaki, and left him for dead had not Orhime Inoue had not healed him, and in their second battle, he was still close to killing him, had not he had taken too much damage from facing Ichigo's Hollow form. Even more impressive, he is the only Arrncar who can reach a second Resurrección form, in this form was able to overwhelm and crush Ichigo Kurosaki, and left him on the brink of death a second time, if it weren't not for the sudden surprise of Ichigo's Hollow form. After his revival, Ulquiorra was able to face on even terms with Naruto Uzumaki, eventually deciding to use Kurama's Chakra. Even the Nine-Tailed Fox Kurama acknowledged he was one of the strongest opponents Naruto has ever faced, and noted that he would be a diifcult enemy for most of the Akastuki, who were all S-Ranked Shinobis and some of the most dangerous ninjas in history, even adding on how he would fare against Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha. According to Bazz-B, Ulquiorra and the other top Espada's are held in high regard within the Coalition. I'mmense Spiritual Power': His spiritual power is immensely high. As the fourth Espada, he is forbidden from releasing his Zanpakutō within Las Noches, as such a release could destroy the fortress. During his first visit to Karakura Town, he compared his spiritual power to that of Ichigo Kurosaki, a Shinigami with exceedingly high spiritual energy, and states Ichigo's energy at its peak is higher than his own, but fluctuates. His Reiatsu is green. Enhanced Hierro: The hardened skin of the Arrancar, which is a result of their compressed spiritual power. Ulquiorra's skin is highly durable, even by Arrancar standards. He can deflect attacks of similar power barehanded. During their second encounter, Ulquiorra took Getsuga Tenshō '''head-on from a Hollowfied Bankai-wielding Ichigo without injury, and defeated him unarmed (albeit Ichigo was battle-worn). The best example of his Hierro's might is him taking a direct slash from Ichigo's '''Tensa Zangetsu with only a minor cut on his chest, while his fellow Espada Yammy Llargo lost an arm from the same opponent. Ulquiorra's Hierro is strong enjoy to block Naruto's Rasengan. Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Ulquiorra mostly relies on hand-to-hand combat, rarely drawing his sword at all. Ichigo speculates he only draws his sword against opponents he considers "worthy". Ulquiorra seems to prefer an off-the-ground method of combat, often attacking opponents from aerial standpoints, such as when he attempted to use his Cero on an offending Grimmjow by attacking him from the air above his head, or when he jumped upwards with Sonído in an attempt to catch Ichigo off-guard during their most recent confrontation. His trademark attack towards prey he likes is to impale them in the chest, gouging a hole in them in the same place as his own. Enhanced Strength: Ulquiorra is deceptively mighty for his slim build. He can physically injure Yammy, an Espada known primarily for his physical strength, with no visible effort. He can upturn huge portions of rock floor with a single strike at the ground with his sword. With a single kick, Ulquiorra sent Ichigo flying a tremendous distance away. Keen Intellect: In addition to his remarkable combat prowess, Ulquiorra is gifted with great insight and understanding of situations at hand. His intelligence is something Aizen, a man arguably best known for his intellect, harbors respect for, as he sent Ulquiorra to investigate Ichigo's power and threat level. With his calm and collected nature, Ulquiorra is highly perceptive and analytical, deducing the basic idea of his opponent's skills to figure out their strengths and weaknesses. Sonído Master: One of Ulquiorra's more noticeable traits is his tremendously skillful speed. He caught up with Ichigo after blasting him from a tower in a few moments. He can skillfully keep up with Ichigo's Bankai speed, moving excessively fast in combat; so fast Ichigo found it hard to even discern his movements at first. Ulquiorra even managed to outmaneuver a Hollowfied Ichigo until they reached the roof of Las Noches. He remained able to use Sonído while being burdened with the absence of most of his left leg. Master Swordsman: Though he rarely engages in it, Ulquiorra is highly skilled in swordsmanship. He strikes with flawless precision, and uses his speed to inflict lethal attacks without much effort. Ulquiorra prefers to wield his sword with his right hand, leaving the other hand free. He can skillfully wield his sword while integrating Cero. Bala: This technique hardens the user's spiritual pressure and fires it like a bullet from their fist. Ulquiorra's Bala is red, and is powerful enough to blast a huge hole into two unseated Soul Reapers. Cero: Ulquiorra can fire Cero from his fingers with excessively destructive power. His Cero can be charged and fired relatively fast, and is green instead of red, which is the most common color of a Cero. The force of the blast can send an opponent hurtling long distances, effectively destroying any obstacle in its path at great range. He can fire it from either hand. * Ola Cero (Spanish for "Zero Wave"): * Cero Disperso (Spanish for "Zero Scattered"): High-Speed Regeneration: Despite having great speed, durability, and attack power, Ulquiorra's greatest strength lies in his regenerative power. This power allows him to regenerate his eye after using his Solita Vista ability. During his battle against Ichigo's new Hollow form, he is even able regenerate his arm after having it torn off. Ulquiorra states it is his greatest power, one which most Arrancar give up in return for greater strength. He explains he can quickly regenerate any part of his body except for his brain and internal organs. Solita Vista (共眼界 (ソリタ・ヴィスタ), Sorita Visuta; Spanish for "Accustomed View", Japanese for "All-Eyes World"): This ability allows Ulquiorra to replay events he has seen to others by removing and crushing an eye, which turns into dust and flows around those he intends to use it on. The dust relays his sight and feelings. Kenton was able to give White Zetsu clones this power that is special to Ulquiorra alone. Zanpakutō Murciélago (黒翼大魔 (ムルシエラゴ), Murushierago; Spanish for "Bat", Japanese for "Black-Winged Great Demon"; Viz "Great Black-Winged Demon"): Ulquiorra's Zanpakutō is a standard sized katana with a green handle and sheath. The guard has two curved extensions from its long sides with a line going through both sides, giving it an eye-like appearance. * Resurrección: Its release command is "Enclose" (鎖せ, tozase; Viz"Imprison"). Murciélago unleashes a black and green burst of spiritual energy, which falls around Ulquiorra as green rain. In his released state, Ulquiorra becomes bat-like in appearance. While in this form, large, black bat wings form on his back, his hair grows longer and wilder, and the remains of his Hollow mask centers atop his head, with two large horns extending outward to the sides towards the front. The lines on his face become black, broader, and more triangular, and his fingernails lengthen. His Arrancar attire becomes more form fitting and closed at the top, becoming more like a robe towards the bottom. In this form, he can use his wings for flight. : Resurrección Special Ability: He gains even greater physical abilities in this form. :* Luz de la Luna (ルス・デ・ラ・ルナ, Rusu de ra Runa; Spanish for "Light of the Moon"): He can generate green energy javelins. He can use them as ranged weapons, throwing them at an opponent, and as a melee weapon. :* Enhanced Speed: His speed is greatly enhanced, moving great distances in an instant as if to displace himself, and pushing Ichigo to the point where his Hollow mask-enhanced Bankai has difficulty keeping up. :* Enhanced Hierro: His Hierro has vastly increased in strength, to the point where a Getsuga Tenshō'''with Ichigo's mask activated has no effect at all. :* '''Enhanced Spiritual Power: Though already possessing immense spiritual power, in his Resurrección, his black and green spiritual energy permeates the area. It is intense enough to create a profound effect on others and coalesce into green rain which falls in the surrounding area when he releases. :* Cero Oscuras (黒虚閃 (セロ・オスキュラス), sero osukyurasu; Spanish for "Dark Zero", Japanese for "Black Hollow Flash"): It is a black Cero with a green outline, which Ulquiorra states to be similar to Ichigo's black Getsuga Tenshō. Ulquiorra's Cero Oscuras is powerful enough to blast Ichigo's mask away and destroy a large part of the city-sized Las Noches' dome. Ulquiorra refers to it as "our Cero". Trivia Category:Arrancar Category:Male Category:Espada Category:Bleach (Series) Category:Coalition Category:Coalition Captain Category:Acts Of Orders Rival Category:Resurrected Category:Swordsmen Category:SS-Class Fighters Category:Lightning Manipulation Users Category:Naruto Uzumaki Rival Category:Fishman Island Coalition Unit